Grammar and method for integrating XML data from multiple sources

1. A method for providing an XML integration grammar (XG) for mapping multiple XML sources into a single XML target, the method comprising: for each production based on a Document Type Definition (DTD) of the target, the production being associated with a parent type, automatically defining a set of rules, the defining comprising: for each child type of the production, defining a first rule for computing an inherited attribute for the child type by extracting data, via a query, from one or more DTDs corresponding to the multiple XML sources, the query being adapted to take an inherited attribute defined for the parent type as a query parameter; and for the parent type, defining a second rule for computing a synthesized attribute for the parent type by grouping synthesized attributes for all child types of the production; and storing the XIG, wherein the XIG comprises defined sets of rules.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of the synthesized attribute for a root node of the target DTD is an XML document conforming to the target DTD.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more DTDs includes at least two different DTDs.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inherited attribute for the child type and the synthesized attribute for the parent type are computed according to a type of the production.

10. A method for integrating data from one or more XML sources into a single target, the method comprising: applying an XML integration grammar (XIG) to the one or more sources to determine the target, wherein the XIG is generated automatically, the XIG comprising: a set of rules for each production based on a Document Type Definition (DTD) of the target, wherein the production is associated with a parent type and a set of child types, the set of rules comprising: for each child type in the set of child types, a first rule for computing an inherited attribute for the child type by extracting data, via a query, from one or more DTDs corresponding to the one or more XML sources, the query having a query parameter comprising an inherited attribute for the parent type; and for the parent type, a second rule for computing a synthesized attribute for the parent type by grouping synthesized attributes for all child types of the set in the child types; and storing the target.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the inherited attribute for the child type and the synthesized attribute for the parent type are computed according to a type of the production.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the target is determined by computing a value of the synthesized attribute for a root node of the target DTD.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the computed value is an XML document conforming to the target DTD.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more DTDs includes at least two different DTDs.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein inherited attributes pass one or more data parameters and wherein synthesized attributes hold at least partial results.